UAE President's Private Pakistan Visit Raises Eyebrows, Snubs Civilian Leadership

• UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to Pakistan was private, not a state visit, despite government attempts to portray it otherwise.
• Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari did not welcome him, and Sheikh Mohamed avoided Islamabad, President's House, and PM's House.
• He met PM Shehbaz Sharif for a mere 4-5 minutes at Nur Khan Airbase, with no formal discussions or agreements.
• The visit's main purpose was reportedly a private family event hosted by Army Chief Asim Munir at Army House in Rawalpindi.
• The incident underscores Pakistan's power structure, where military leadership appears to wield more foreign policy influence than the civilian government.

Why It Matters: UAE President's private visit to Pakistan highlights military's foreign policy influence over civilian government.